Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity disrupted a working meeting between the House of Representatives Commission X and Minister of Culture Fadli Zon on July 2, 2025. The protest was aimed at opposing the Ministry of Culture's project to rewrite history.
According to Tempo's observation, the protest involved ten people and took place during the public session that began at 10:00 AM Western Indonesia Time. The protesters were seated in the upper balcony of the meeting room.
After each parliamentary faction delivered its response to Fadli Zon's presentation, the protesters unfurled a black banner that read Resolve Serious Human Rights Violation Cases.
"Stop whitewashing history!" they shouted, bringing the session in the Commission X room at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta to a sudden stop.
All eyes turned to the balcony as the demonstrators took turns voicing their demands. They urged the government to pay attention to the voices of the people.
"Listen to the voice of the victims!" they said. The protesters also called on lawmakers to reject efforts to declare former President Soeharto a national hero and to resist the legacy of the New Order regime.
The interruption lasted only a few moments. Deputy Chair of Commission X, Lalu Hardian Irfani, asked the protesters to sit down and instructed security personnel to intervene. "That's enough, please return to your seats. Security, please handle this," he said.
Security officers then escorted the protesters out of the room. As they exited through the balcony doors, they continued to call for an end to the rewriting of history. A brief scuffle occurred when security personnel tried to seize their protest materials. Officers eventually confiscated several posters and banners.
The meeting resumed afterward as the protesters chose to leave the parliamentary building. Although the main agenda of the session was the 2025 state budget for the Ministry of Culture, lawmakers also brought up the history revision project.
Concerns were heightened following Fadli Zon's recent denial of the mass rapes that occurred during the 1998 riots.